Ritika Pratap 
[Source: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change/ Facebook]
A fuel slick near Suva Harbour’s Salia Reef is suspected to have originated from a fuel drum, possibly fallen from a ship.
However, the Ministry of Environment is unable to confirm whether this was the real cause.
The Ministry in a statement says that they learned of the incident via a live social media video on Wednesday.
The Environment Joint Taskforce, comprising inspectors from the Department of Environment, Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, and Fiji Ports Corporation Limited, conducted land-based and inshore assessments to locate the source.
The task force conducted both land-based and inshore assessments to verify and identify the point source of the pollutant.
They found only an empty, seawater-filled, red 44-gallon drum at Salia Reef.
MSAF confirmed that because diesel is a light oil with weak intermolecular forces, wave action and natural evaporation would have reduced the slick’s visibility.
The Ministry concluded from the inshore assessment that the fuel drum was the likely source.
They are asking anyone with information about the drum’s origin to contact them.
